It has become common for merchants to utilize an electronic marketplace that provides users with the ability to order items using an electronic catalog of items. Merchants may utilize various modes of transport to deliver such items to the user. Delivery (e.g., shipping) can be costly to a merchant. Inefficient packaging of one or more items may lead to wasted space. Inadequate or inappropriate packaging may lead to items being damaged, or spoiled, while in transport. The user may lack the ability to ascertain whether the item has been exposed to potentially damaging environments. Conventional techniques can make it difficult to optimize packaging of items for shipment, causing the merchant to pay more shipping costs than necessary.